Manchester United are in a situation they've never been in before with the manager

When a managerial change is in the offing at Manchester United the club tends to have their ducks lined up.

Chairman James Gibson met Matt Busby in February 1945 and Wilf McGuinness was the continuity choice in 1969. Busby, still occupying the manager's office, billed Frank O'Farrell as "my last great signing" in 1971. Eighteen months later, Busby approached Tommy Docherty in the Selhurst Park boardroom with O’Farrell the dead man walking in the dugout.

Dave Sexton was the antithesis of the daring Docherty in 1977, Ron Atkinson was fourth on a four-man shortlist behind Bobby Robson, Lawrie McMenemy and Ron Saunders in 1981, Alex Ferguson was the unanimous choice in 1986 and Ferguson anointed Moyes in 2013.

Moyes was so out of his depth that elite options lurked in every corner of the continent: Jurgen Klopp was the fans’ favourite, Carlo Ancelotti appealed to Ferguson, Diego Simeone's star shone brightly and Antonio Conte was about to become available. Ed Woodward sounded out Louis van Gaal. Jose Mourinho, the self-appointed 'Special One', was the only one to succeed Van Gaal.

After Mourinho’s residency at The Lowry ended in 2018, Mauricio Pochettino was the obvious replacement. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s extended honeymoon period kiboshed that and when United were caught short amid Solskjaer’s spiral in 2021, Pochettino was the favourite again until Erik ten Hag pulled ahead in the two-horse race.

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This time, it is different. Ten Hag might be on borrowed time but there is not a clear and obvious option to replace him as United manager.

Graham Potter tops the bookmakers’ chalkboards. He is